Raising the Level tomorrow
starts with Knowing the Level today

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1)    Assess the Level
2)    Analyze the Level
3)    Raise the Level

Overview

The general consensus among coaches is that American players lack the technical ability needed to compete internationally at the highest level.  In an effort to bridge this gap, The National Technical Standards Project is the first step in a multi-year initiative to raise the level of soccer in the U.S.  The project’s core is a standardized assessment that provides an objective measure of a player’s technical ability.  When used to compare one player to another, or evaluate a player’s development over time, the result is a powerful set of data intended to provide insight into youth player development in this country.

Objective

The ultimate objective is to raise the level of technical ability in the US and this process begins with assessing the current national level. Working with coaches, clubs, leagues, states and national governing bodies across the country we will gather uniform, standardized technical assessment data using the National Assessment.  Results will then be analyzed to isolate strengths, weaknesses and trends on a local and national level. The resulting National Standards will be the benchmark against which future player development can be measured, both on an individual player and national level. Every player, team, and coach will know how his or her technical ability compares to the National Standard.

Goal

In order to achieve the most accurate results possible, representing all ages, geographies, and ability levels, our goal is to collect 1 million assessment results by the end of 2010.

Data Collection

With millions of soccer players spread across a large geographic area, data collection will be a significant undertaking.  The simplicity of the National Assessment and the accessibility of an online platform are key in distributing and gathering assessment results from around the country.  The majority of assessment results will be collected through The National Standards website, the iSoccer website and a smaller portion of results will be collected at sponsored assessment events to be held across the country.

Residual Affect

Today, parents, players, coaches and clubs recognize winning, losing, goals scored, and playing time as the primary metrics to judge success and improvement. These metrics typically reward and encourage physical, direct play, and early childhood maturity to the detriment of ball control and creativity, attributes/skills/abilities that become harder to teach as players grow older. Emphasizing technical improvement as a significant player development metric and comparing players and teams to an objective national standard will help change the focus from winning games in the short-term to developing players for long-term success.

No Silver Bullet

Technical ability is just one of the four pillars that make a complete player. The National Assessment does not directly test physical, tactical, or mental aspects of the game. For this reason it is not intended to be a silver bullet for player identification. It is, however, intended to help players and coaches at every level make informed decisions about the most effective and efficient ways to improve their technical ability.

Call to Action

Pledge your commitment to raising the level of soccer in the US.  By incorporating the iSoccer Assessment into your player development strategy you will be helping your players, teams, and leagues improve.  By pooling this standardized data from coaches across the country and around the world we can work collectively to raise the level of American soccer.

Think Globally, Act Locally

Contribute to the national standards project and add to the collective knowledge of the US Soccer community.  Together we can raise the level of the game, one player at a time.

Do your part to raise the level by assessing yourself or your team for free.  Go to www.iSoccer.org to register.  To learn about assessing your entire club, contact clubs@iSoccer.org.

To contact iSoccer about sponsorship or partnership opportunities, email abe.geiger@iSoccer.org.